Pairing: Bill/Fluer
with very slight hint of Draco/Hermione and Harry/Ginny

Summary: Harry worries
while he attends Bill & Fluer's wedding. A story I wrote last
autumn (2006) in response to a story challenge/assignment.

Disclaimer: The
characters are not mine. They belong to Rowling. This is just for
fun.

Author's Note: I
researched French wedding customs for this story.

Harry sighed loudly for
the umpteenth time but determinedly trudged after the wedding party.
The Boy Who Lived, now seventeen, looked splendid in his formal dress
robes. His white shirt was perfectly clean for the moment; a true
rarity for someone who normally found dust in the oddest locations
and his robes were of the darkest India ink. Even his glasses sat
straight on his face. The bright June sun high overhead shone down
upon him, giving his raven locks of hair shiny white highlights. It
was a brilliant summer day, just perfect for the wedding that was
going to take place soon. But no matter how hard Harry tried to share
in the lucky couple's joy, he just couldn't get excited.

His Headmaster, a man
he deeply cared for, lie dead within a cold tomb. And without him,
Hogwarts just wouldn't be the same. How could they start a new year
without the old man's welcome speech? Who would take care of Fawlks?
And although he knew McGonagall would do the best she could as
Headmistress, it just wouldn't be the same. She didn't have that
mischievous twinkle in her eye and she certainly wouldn't set the
password to the Headmaster's office as names of candy. No, Hogwarts
would never be the same...

Harry paused, troubled,
as Fluer bent to cut another pastel ribbon that blocked the dirt path
they were on. With a pair of dainty silver scissors, no less!

Madness, it was all
madness!

His green eyes darted
around the green countryside that surrounded them. They were close to
the Burrow and growing closer every moment, but this was sheer
foolishness! Didn't they understand that there were Death Eaters on
the loose, ones who would be all too glad to kill the lot of them?
And Snape, that traitorous git! He very much wanted to wring his
greasy neck! Nothing except killing Voldemort would give him such
pleasure.

The wedding party
stopped once again as Bill stooped to pick up some briar branches
that were lying across the road to the Burrow. A few Aurors stood
nearby and Bill happily handed each a galleon. These odd French
wedding traditions were going to be the death of them all. Harry
didn't care how many aurors were placed around the Weasley homestead.
Did they really think that was going to stop a bunch of crazed,
bloodthirsty Death Eaters? Dumbledore had been the only thing holding
the Dark Lord in check…

I have to kill him…

Harry's hand slid into
his pocket, his long fingers nervously twitching around the smooth
wood of his wand. His ears strained to hear the slightest sound and
the loud buzz of the Weasleys' happy conversations stabbed at his
nerves like the Cruciatus Curse. Birds sang in the background, a
slight breeze shook nearby tree branches already green with leaves.
There! Was that popping the sound of a wizard apparating? His hand
pulling the wand free of the fine cloth of the dress robe, he waited
with baited breath. His heart beat loudly within his ears as each
second passed and nothing happened.

I shouldn't be here…

He wanted to be out
there hunting Horcruxes, not stuck at some dumb wedding. Harry had
never been to a wedding and well, this was not what he had expected
at all. For one, it was nothing like the Muggle weddings he had seen
on TV programs. In those it had always been bad luck to see the bride
before the wedding. But here both Fluer and Bill were happily
strolling arm and arm down the country lane towards the Burrow and
the waiting Minister. The actual ceremony would be performed outside
under the clear blue sky. The celebration was going to go on all day
and even into the night. Worst, half of the wedding guests were
Fluer's family and friends from France and couldn't speak English!

I'd rather face
Voldemort than this…

His green eyes shifted
to the bride. Fluer was radiant in her gown of white. It was shoulder
less and had lots of white lace, and well, he had no idea about the
type of fabric. The waist was tight and narrow, showing off her slim
figure. That much was obvious. The skirt was long and would have
dragged on the ground behind her if not for Gabrellia holding the end
up.

One thing was very
clear about the bridal gown: it was totally useless for running…

Ginny suddenly popped
up by his side and smiled brightly at him. She, too, was decked out
in some fancy gown and looked very much grown up. The way she smiled
at him sent nervous twinges through his stomach and he inched away
slightly.

"Harry, why do you
have your wand out? You're supposed to be enjoying the wedding
festivities!"

"But this is
insane! We're perfect targets out here in the open like this!"

Ginny acted as if she
hadn't heard him and just smiled, a dreamy look on her face. "Isn't
it romantic? And her French gown is so beautiful! Nothing beats a
designer French wedding gown made by veelas…"

"…We could be
surrounded by Death Eaters!" Harry continued on his own, not
paying the slightest attention to what the youngest Weasley was
saying.

"Of course, I'd
prefer a white charger than all this stupid ribbon cutting and
picking up briars. You'd look splendid up on a white charger. I'm
sure Hermione could always transfigure us one out of something…"
Ginny paused in her speech as she noticed the shocked look on his
face. "Harry, what's the matter? Did you spot a Death Eater? Is
it You Know Who? Is your scar hurting? Please tell me it's not
Dementors!"

"I… I… I need
to go speak to Hermione for a moment…"

"All right,
Harry." Ginny said good-naturedly as she continued to watch him,
a worried look on her face. "I'd wish you'd realized I'm old
enough to handle this Order business as well."

A short time later
Harry found himself sitting on a chair next to Hermione, his nerves
still jumping. They were outside in the Weasley's back garden area,
their chairs just two among a huge crowd. Up in front, Bill and Fluer
were exchanging their wedding vows. He watched as two different
bottles of wine were opened - each from a different vineyard, the
wine poured into a two-handled cup and a piece of bread added. The
happy couple took turns drinking the wine and then ate the piece of
bread. After the ceremony was over, a carre was held over Bill and
Fluer's heads. This was a large piece of fine silk from France,
brought to England by her parents just for the wedding.

Harry didn't know what
he should be on the lookout for now; Death Eaters or Ginny. Sure, he
kind of knew Ginny liked him but … marriage? Twisting slightly in
his seat, he sighed with relief when he spotted her with her huge
knot of family. They were all trying to congratulate Bill at the same
time. The groom had a sappy delirious look on his face and Fluer was
radiant with joy.

At least I can depend
on Hermione to be sensible at a time like this…

If anyone was a
bookworm, it was his best friend Hermione. She prided herself on
knowing everything and had probably read every single book in the
entire Hogwarts library, twice. By Fourth year no less…

"Oh, Harry! Wasn't
it lovely?" Hermione bubbled very strangely from where she sat
next to him. She wore a pale pink gown that left her shoulders bare
and her hair looked different. "Do you think all Purebloods get
married this way? But then, this was more of a French wedding than a
Pureblood one. I suppose I really ought to research it…"

"Not you, too!"
Harry cried, horrified. "Ginny was just going on some nonsense
about white chargers…"

"Ooh!"
Hermione jumped to her feet with excitement, her brown eyes gleaming.
"That would be nice! Do you think Dra…"

She slapped a hand over
her mouth, eyes wide with horror at what she had almost said. She
then pointed over to the wide stretch of green lawn where the
festivities were going to be starting any moment. "Oh, look!
They're going to start the dancing!"

Harry watched her hurry
off, confused. Shaking his head, he was determined to not worry about
it. Not now, anyway. Rising to his feet, he set off to go
congratulate Bill and Fluer.

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